romney was getting hammered in the polls. keeping them honest though, disputing or downplaying the obvious, that's what campaigns do on both sides. >> it's not going to be about the polls. >> i wouldn't put a lot of weight in any of these national polls for the next couple days. >> in terms of mitt romney surging, just remember how much of a deficit he had to make up. he was in some cases double digits behind the president in all those attributes. >> pull back the reins. >> the media is focusing on one poll. >> that's reaction to the recent batch of polling, including that devastating pew poll that showed a four point romney lead. now consider that pew took an earlier poll in september a couple weeks before the debate, it was the republicans going ballistic when it showed romney eight points down. watch. >> these polls are basically just part and parcel of the campaign for barack obama to help him stay in this game as long as possible. >> if you believe what the polls are saying right now, you've got to believe that there's s